SchoolBoard

Strong PAWS Results in Fremont #1

Students in Fremont County School District #1 outperformed their statewide peers on last spring’s Performance Assessment for Wyoming Students (PAWS) in six of the seven grades in reading, in five of the seven grades in math, and in each of the three grades in science in which students were required to take the test. In comparing the percent of students who are proficient and advanced with the other fifteen 3A school districts in the state, FCSD#1students had the second highest percent in fourth grade math (94.1%), the fifth highest in fifth grade math (85.1%), the third highest in third grade reading (81%), the third highest in fourth grade reading (93.2%), the sixth highest in fifth grade reading (83.3%), the third highest in sixth grade reading (92.3%), and the third highest in eleventh grade reading (85.5%). John Metcalfe, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Assessment, presented information showing that there are four grades in which over 40% of the students tested high enough to be placed in the “advanced” category. They included third grade math (45.3%), fourth grade math (40.1%), seventh grade math (41.3%), fourth grade reading (50.9%), and sixth grade reading (41.0%). Trustees commended District teachers, principals, and other staff for their hard work in helping students achieve at these levels.

Rather than incarcerating juveniles who have been arrested, Fremont County will now place juveniles who were arrested for misdemeanors in a “day reporting” program. In this program, the juveniles will receive educational and counseling services, and they will be expected to perform community service. The program will be run by the County, but the teacher who works in the program will be employed by one of the county school districts. Mike Bowman, Superintendent of Schools, reported to the Board that St. Stephens and each county district, with the exception of Fremont 2 (Dubois), will share in the cost of the teacher. Previously, all juveniles who had been arrested were incarcerated in Lander in the County Detention Center, and Fremont #1 provided the teacher who worked with the students. The day reporting program will be housed at the Lander and Riverton group homes, where there will be six “slots” available at each location. Details are still being finalized for this program. When all the details have been finalized, the agreement for the program will be submitted to the Board.